Russia Installs General for Chechnya

Published 8:00 pm, Saturday, December 21, 2002

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov on Sunday ushered in a new general responsible for military operations in war-torn Chechnya, and thanked his fired predecessor for his service.

During an hourlong ceremony at the North Caucasus military headquarters in this southern town, Ivanov introduced the new commander, Col. Gen. Vladimir Boldyrev, who previously headed the Siberian military district.

Boldyrev replaced Col. Gen. Gennady Troshev, who was fired Wednesday by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The day before he was fired, Troshev revealed to the press that he had been offered the post of Siberian commander but wasn't interested in leaving Chechnya. Russian media speculated that the outspoken but popular general was fired for his public defiance.

"You have put a lot of effort, energy and support into maintaining this important region in high combat readiness," Ivanov told Troshev, in remarks shown on Russia's state-controlled Channel One. "You are well-known by all the military _ and not only by the military."

Ivanov thanked Troshev for his contributions, and promised that "we will find a suitable place for him in the military if he, of course, agrees to remain in the army," ITAR-Tass news agency reported.

Putin has been searching for ways to normalize the situation in Chechnya, where the second war in less than a decade is now in its fourth year and Russian servicemen die nearly every day.

He has said the army has fulfilled its task and that something new is needed, but Putin has ruled out negotiations with the separatist leaders.

Instead, he has ordered Chechnya's Moscow-backed leaders to begin preparing for a referendum on a constitution, which would outline the divisions of power between Russia and the republic. The referendum, planned for March, would pave the way for elections.

Russian forces pulled out of Chechnya in 1996 after a disastrous two-year war that left the separatists in charge, but returned in 1999 after rebel attacks in neighboring Dagestan and apartment-building bombings in Russian cities that were blamed on rebels.

In fighting in Chechnya over the past 24 hours, seven Russian soldiers were killed, 12 wounded and two police wounded _ one seriously _ by rebel attacks, an official in the pro-Moscow Chechen administration said Sunday. One rebel was killed, the official said on condition of anonymity.

More than 200 people were detained in sweep operations searching for rebels, the official said.